Smile for Me, Little Ice Cream
by BahamutPrime
Summary: Neo has very recently left the White Fang, and is well on her way to ultimately destroying herself. Though, with the help of an old enemy, perhaps she can piece her life back together and fight back against those who would see her dead.
1. 1-Intro

As though serving a reminder to her past life, Neo gazed upon the thugs who so blatantly mugged the poor man trying to get home after his long shift at work. This was what she used to do, albeit on a much larger scale, to the same kinds of people. Despite lacking her usual appearance, opting for one which was more inconspicuous, the woman could relive and feel the emotions she held during such things. It was all so numb, as though she was doing it automatically without any thought put into it. Perhaps that was the case after all.

In any case, she closed her parasol - the exact same one she had been using her whole life - and walked on over to this robbery. Feelings of regret surfaced, but most of all, Neo was disgusted by what was happening. She was never a purely good person, but this just crawled on her nerves, like a wound festering and teeming with maggots.

Her parasol made contact with the first thug, knocking him away from the poor man, though without her Semblance, the short woman wouldn't have such an overwhelming advantage. She backed up a little, as though already knowing of her own limits, before she began to run away. Hopefully, these thugs will follow her, and they'll leave the poor man to go back to his humble abode.

The alleys of the city were thin, and easily one could get themselves lost. Luckily for Neo, she had known these alleyways since she was a child, and frantically mapped out a route within her mind, where she could effectively fight the two thugs. Her combat boots were much better for running than her heeled boots, although naturally she missed her style and sense of flair when it came to combat. Looking back with her grayed-out eyes, she smiled lightly seeing the two forms chasing her.

After a minute or two, she finally arrived where she needed to be, and quickly unsheathed the blade hidden in the handle of the parasol, using the other part as a shield, of which it was very effective against magic. The two thugs charged at her within the somewhat wider alley, before she took them on.

They both had swords, big enough to be exploited with her unmatched speed. Despite her lack of power, Neo had this agility which was both graceful and elegant to behold, even if it seemed a little unfair to any close ranged fighters. She employed hit and run, charging in to slash at one of the thug's legs before backing off, parasol shield raised and poised for any magical nonsense the thugs may come up with.

Neo met steel with steel while she flourished her limited range of skills in the most effective way possible, not willing to concede defeat just because she was alone and without her true power. While her style was most definitely cramped, she was still able to perform some acrobatic manoeuvres which gave her an advantage over the blades. Finally, she slashed one of them across the face, a fierce line of crimson swelling from the wound.

They fled quickly, in a completely different direction than they had come, after seeing the frightening accuracy and moves of the short ice cream. Sighing softly, Neo knew that this was a victory, gulping a little and sheathing the blade into her parasol, which she promptly opened to shade her from the sun somewhat.

Though, inside, she really wanted to pursue them both, hunt them down like the prey they were, and slaughter them. Her eyes pulsated with pinks and browns, though the colours did not stick, returning to the gray which she was now living with. Neo had a lot of work to do if she wanted her Semblance back, but even then, it would be impossible alone.

Leaving the White Fang as she did may not have been her best decision, but for the things she was putting up with, it was probably for the best. The way Cinder and Torchwick treated her - the latter only when he was drunk - terrified her to no end, and alas, she had to get away. The crimes she committed were great, but not great enough to consider spending another minute in that kind of company. It was hard keeping up the smiles and lack of care for so long, but now, she could just... Express herself in the way she wished it.

She seated herself against a closed dumpster, sighing to herself once more and placing her parasol on the ground. In truth, without her Semblance she didn't have infinite stamina and endurance, and thus looked exhausted, mainly from the running but partly due to fighting and her sudden other-side urge. The short woman hugged her knees to her chest, closing her eyes, and then thought of a certain blonde haired woman while she dozed off for the moment. No White Fang meant no comfy bed for the moment, and this sleep was going to be dark and long.


	2. 2-Lost

The rain falls at a steady pace, which finally wakes the short woman from her short slumber. Somewhat drenched already, she stands up quickly and groans, opening her soaked parasol, to at least prevent herself from being inundated with water. She must have been asleep for quite a while, noticing the lack of light around the place. Rubbing her still tired eyes, Neo looks down at the ground for several moments.

Running away from her problems was never going to work, and so, she made an attempt to get through to her old boss. Of course, as was the usual story, she could not get through the Torchwick, the redhead clearly not wishing to be found by someone like her. It crushed her heart in a way she never knew possible - Roman was the only father figure she knew, and now with him out of the picture, her mind and thoughts spiralled into first sadness, but then anger and rage surfaced, giving her a reason to get on with the misery she found herself within.

Making her way out of the alley she had found herself within, her eyes flickered, rather than remaining as active as ever. Her lack of energy and motivation certainly had something to do with it, a bleakness in the distress that was her current life. Maybe getting away from them wasn't the best idea, but it was thought up herself, by her own mind and decision. They just couldn't accept it, especially Cinder. The fiery vixen always had to be in control, no matter what, but for once Neo didn't stand for it, not after what she did to the ice cream.

The rain intensified, the storm rolling on through with the rumble of thunder, and the strikes of lightning seen off in the distance. As though a light in the darkness, she saw it - Beacon Academy, still shining despite the rain which hazed its light. A glimmer of hope emerged, but with it, her eyes faded into grey. This was the state she had been hoping to reach, not the in between, but one extreme - her true face. Neo was a complicated figure, but grew simpler the more extreme she got. The opposite end of the spectrum only saw destruction, and so, she thought of this side as creation. Two halves of the same whole, but not in beautiful, perfect harmony.

She stepped out onto the road, the roaring wind picking up, before she sighted the truck barrelling straight for her. Instead of moving out the way, however, she just stood there. Neo closed her eyes, thinking. She needed to know where she was at, at this moment in time, without the other extreme present. If she survived this, she'd know exactly what she needed to do, though her lack of even a listening ear caused this risk to come to fruition. There was no telling what damage it would do to her, considering her aura was already low to begin with.

The half-brunette looked on, before the collision occurred. Several thoughts went through her mind, and yet, her body moved all at once with not a second thought to be had. This was important, because it meant she could utilise at least some of her Semblance while being in this toned down, grayed-out state.

Luckily for Neo, only glass shattered, the illusion working to the degree she was hoping, but there she was, upon the sidewalk with a hold on her already sore leg. This time, things took a true toll on her minuscule body, and that was cause enough for concern. Cinder had delivered her punishment in the most brutal way - disabling one of her legs would mean she was less effective to even ineffective in combat, and after holding the thought and illusion for so long, it finally broke and now she was feeling it. Already the ice cream hated her, but now, this was another layer of hatred to be had.

Already, the pinks and browns of her eyes were flickering, the other side wishing to come back into being, to go back to the White Fang base and fight Cinder, but Neo couldn't allow that to happen. Hobbling somewhat toward the nearest alley, she shuddered at the pain she was feeling, not used to it. No, her entire life, that other side had been controlling her every action, but maybe it was for a purpose she did not understand yet. In any case, the short woman sobbed lightly as the reality of her situation hit.

The only salvation she could think of was at Beacon Academy, to beg and forgive what she had done, and what she may have done if a lone figure hadn't snapped her out of her crazed state. There was a true fear for the figure back on the train, but... her concern was always on the blonde. Maybe, just maybe, she would find a way to get through to her, and recover enough to use her semblance in its fullest state.

For now, however, she would have to wait the rain out, shivering in her little corner within the alleyway. Such a familiar feeling washed over her form, but... maybe everything was meant to be this way.


	3. 3-Found

Soon, the rain had cleared and the early morning sun was visible, the light glistening off the damp exterior of the buildings around the place. Neo had managed a few hours of sleep, but in her cramped position, it wasn't the best thing for her health. She felt incredibly weak, already thinking of the grandiose breakfasts she'd be enjoying with the White Fang, and the over the top parties which happened on most nights. Those days were over, and her black and white view of the world was finally shattered. Ushered in was an age of gray, of understanding and of learning, about herself and others. She saw the true nature of Cinder and Roman when she left that wretched place, and she was willing to bet that they kept her mostly out of the loop for this exact reason: she wasn't a faunus that could be caged so easily with promised pride and glory.

The fact that those she looked up to didn't have faith in her when it came down to it caused her to feel down in turn, but her lack of ice cream eyes didn't mean she was entirely useless. Maybe, on the off chance that the blonde would be willing to forgive her for her mistaken assault, she could spur Yang and the rest of team RWBY to do what was right. For now, however, she needed to get to Beacon Academy without sparking any suspicion of who she was.

The past always came back to bite, but Neo could choose whether or not it truly hurt her. The fact that she was entrusting what her future was believed to be in the hands of someone like Yang was evidence enough that she was clearly losing it. It didn't matter - in her head anyways - as she knew that fighter better than anyone did, being known to stalk the people she would inevitably try to kill, to learn about them and their abilities. Though, for Yang, she went just that little bit further.

Her thoughts bounced around in her head until she realised she had been walking the whole time, barely functioning as it was, though these thoughts of redemption and owning up to her mistakes spurred the small woman on, giving her purpose and a new lease on life. She might not have been able to mask her dual tone hair to try and make the confrontation a little easier on herself, but the ice cream would have to deal with it just as any other human or faunus would if they were in her position.

Removing her soaked gloves and holding them by the thumbs, Neo saw the looming entrance of the academy, the gates imposing on her tiny frame. A gulp later, and she made her way inside, biting her bottom lip softly and clutching onto her parasol a little tighter than normal. This place gave her chills, and not for any good reason.

The half-brunette made her way inside, looking around frantically, paranoid of being caught out by anyone and ultimately being sent to the police, which would be the worst case scenario. If she couldn't apologise and make up for her mistakes, what good for imprisonment do her, let alone the people she owed? All of these twisted thoughts plagued her mind, which used to be so void of things such as doubt or worry. By becoming the way she was, taking the beatings from Cinder and Roman, Neo had become more human all of a sudden.

She was scared for her dear life - what if her mere existence meant she was a target by the organisation she had just left? The woman was soon snapped out of her thoughts by a sight she hoped would have been saved for later - Ozpin. The headmaster of the academy, taking an early morning stroll, and though he was a man of exceptional experience, he too needed such calm moments like these, to reflect and to make sure his thinking was in check. He certainly noticed Neo, but didn't react immediately, only turning to walk toward her when she was completely inside the school's gates.

"Ah, there you are. Mind coming with me?" He asked ever so politely, knowing of this woman and her crimes. Perhaps the decrepit state she was in softened him a little, but he would not be fooled so easily. Not wishing to cause a scene, or create even more trouble for herself, Neo nodded and began walking with Ozpin, the hunter with a cup of coffee in one of his hands. He had half an eye on the half-brunette, not knowing what she was capable of when she had nothing to lose.

They proceeded into the academy, and up they went into Ozpin's own office. Only the most important people and highest achievers ever made it to this room, so it made Neo wonder why he would bring her here of all places. Of course, she didn't know the inner workings of Beacon, but she did have a rough idea in her head.

"So, what brings you here, of all places, to Beacon Academy?" Ozpin asked, seating himself down in his chair after showing the short woman to hers. Neo sat quietly, and didn't utter a word in reply. Perhaps it was the exhaustion, but she couldn't for the life of her form a sentence despite not being locked in combat. The headmaster noted this, as she frowned lightly. "Hmm, alright. Are you okay?" His question was a little out of no where, but at least this time, he got a short smile and a nod from the ice cream.

"Good, good. Can you tell me, how long has it been since you've stepped foot on these grounds?" Again, Neo didn't answer. Her hesitation was evident in her lightly shivering firm, which in all honesty was valid. She hadn't slept properly for a good while now, and her health was taking a turn for the worse. "You see, no matter who comes onto these grounds, we will see them, and their faces. I know you've been here, girl."

Neo blinked a few times, her eyes flickering with pinks and browns, though Ozpin raised his hand and closed his eyes. "If you don't tell me anything, I'll have to hand you over to the police, who, as you may know by now, aren't the friendliest bunch. Please, do yourself a favour, and just speak." The woman looked horrified all of a sudden, and quickly, she looked down at the ground.

Standing up with her hands in the air, she walked around the table to be at the headmaster's side, wanting to whisper into his ear, as per her hand gesture. Nodding lightly, Ozpin allowed this.

"I... I am here to... Apologise, for what I have done, and what I might have done. I must... Talk to Yang Xiao Long." Her speech was almost silent, the softness nerve tingling to anyone else, and after she moved away, the headmaster looked ahead, sipping his coffee.

"Hmm... Perhaps it is because of the way you are right now, or perhaps I am getting old, but... I'll let you speak to her. After, however, you get some rest. There's a spare room just outside my office, you should be fine there." A hesitant nod came from Neo, as she proceeded to do just that. Nothing in her head stopped her, not even the desire that the other side constantly beat into her skull. Her body fell onto the makeshift bed, and it was asleep in seconds.

•-•

Several hours went by, a dreamless sleep the half-brunette had as she stretched from her slumber. Her back and arms cracked, as she wiped her eyes. For now, she was feeling much better, but her goal had still not been reached. Neo got up, promptly leaving the spare room and descending into the academy proper, where many a student was walking around in what seemed like a break time.

Suddenly, however, she sighted a golden mane which she knew quite well after all this time, and began walking toward it. Perhaps she could set everything on course for her own plans, to take down the White Fang and give them all payback for what they've done, but as soon as she got close to the lone blonde, she groaned as she felt a sharp pain in her knee, causing Yang to turn around.

"Huh? Are you okay?" Yang offered a hand to the half disgruntled woman, though once she saw the coloured locks... The blonde immediately pulled her hand back, eyes wide open with a mixture of both anger and rage. "What... Are you doing here..?" Her voice was menacing, and she did not mess around with it. Neo tried to raise her arms in defeat, but Yang would not have it. "I've been wanting a rematch, _bitch_ , so we're going to do it right here and now!"

Suddenly, Neo dodged a punch which she was sure was going to knock her out immediately, but her eyes were flickering with their familiar colours, her other side tugging at the strings for the moment. It wasn't fully functional, but the adrenalin seemed to pump it into action. Yang kept them coming, and the half-brunette kept dodging, until leg gave out and forced her into the floor, groaning in agony. This caused the blonde to pause for a second, but already her eyes had gone red, her form practically glowing with the anger she had felt since that day.

Without another word, she pulled her arm back and finally landed a punch on the devilishly quick woman, knocking her out and giving her a black eye for her effort. If Neo had tried to confront Yang the day before, she might not have survived that.

For now, all she could see was darkness, and the stars twinkling in her own dream state.


	4. 4-Jealousy

The evening had come around for this most eventful day, and Yang sat upon her top bunk with a tinge of nervousness in her stomach. The rest of the team were here, and while that was always a good thing for the usually optimistic blonde, they didn't know that there was a known criminal under Yang's blankets, hidden from them for now. She was glad that Neo didn't seem to be waking up soon, but she was worried - despite their feud, she had punched her while she was down, something she'd never do to anyone, except for the half-brunette.

"So Yang, aren't you going to get ready for the 'small' party Nora is mocking up for everyone?" Ruby asked from her bunk, already dressed to impress and clearly seemed a little off with how Yang was behaving right now. The top heavy fist fighter wasn't usually one to stay in from a party, but the little Red at least tried to understand here current situation.

"I... I think I'm going to sleep this one off. Sorry guys, I'm not feeling terribly well." She tried her hardest not to give herself away, but Ruby was already there, right up in her face, a horrified expression gazing at the blonde.

"But it isn't the same without you, sis! You gotta go!" Ruby pleaded, oblivious to the knocked out body of the ice cream.

"Blake can go for me! Right, Blake, buddy ol' pal?" Yang looked down at the faunus, forever reading her books, though she bit her lip softly as Ruby looked disappointed.

"Sure, I'll go there and be the best wall flower ever!" Blake sarcastically commented, as she closed her book and sighed audibly. "You owe me one, though. I did it for you..." Her feline eyes narrowed somewhat, looking back up at the blonde who looked rather sheepish for the moment. Luckily, Blake was already going to this party, so it wasn't much of an issue. After the events of the train, a party seemed like a good way to calm things down, though Yang couldn't risk it now.

"C'mon, it started like ten minutes ago!" Weiss was finally fed up, just about ready to leave by herself, though she really wouldn't considering her nature. She wanted to be the centre of attention, but sometimes, it just didn't do.

"Alrighty Yang, we'll be back later, alright? Stay safe." Ruby narrowed her silver gaze at her sister, who promptly grinned and gave a thumbs up, watching the three leave before finally sighing. This would give her at least a few hours in which to wake up the half-brunette, and try to get her to explain why she was here at Beacon.

Uncovering the sleeping woman, Yang looked her over, hoping that she wasn't in as bad a shape as she thought she was. A hate filled punch like that could kill a person, and the blonde didn't really fancy being a murderer before she was graduated from Beacon. Soon, she noticed that Neo was whimpering, albeit faintly due to her voice, and just as she would with Ruby, she stroked her cheek and her hair, trying to make the nightmare go away. Whatever feelings she felt now, she wasn't too sure, but she couldn't let anyone at all deal with such things, not after her earlier experiences in life.

Slowly but surely, the ice cream's eyes fluttered open, the blurry vision from her blackened eye not helping as she saw the banana tones of Yang's hair. She reached out toward it, thinking it was just a part of the nightmare she was having, but when she saw her hand grasped by the blonde's and not the terrifying Grimm, Neo gulped and then let out a sigh of relief. "Hey, uh, how are you feeling? Ah, bad question, but... I just want to say sorry for what I did earlier. I let my anger get the better of me, and well, you didn't deserve that." Neo thought otherwise, but she wasn't in the position to argue. Instead, she sat herself up slowly, feeling the throb of her temple and face.

"Although, you did really piss me off on that train, and... sometimes, I just have a bad time letting things go. Say, what's happened to your eyes? Can you tell me? I don't like whatever trick you played on me back then, but, gray makes you look sad," Yang asked, though upon getting no response from the almost mute woman, she sighed. "And, yeah, you can't talk, can you?" Neo shook her head at Yang's words, before she moved herself closer to the blonde's ear, not before making sure it was okay.

"My voice, it is just... too soft to use for every day speech. I'd be better with texting, or holding up a sign." Neo responded, placing her arms loosely on the fighter's shoulders, causing her to be a little cautious. "My eyes are gray because my other side is finally not controlling me. it is what you faced in the train, that terrifying thing..." For now, Yang was genuinely taken aback, though she frowned a little.

"What are the odds of this... Other side surfacing right now?" A valid question if any, and one Neo needed to answer. The half-brunette paused for a moment, considering what she could really say, but given her track record, she couldn't really tell a lie now.

"About 50/50, I'm afraid. Although, when I'm in pain, it seems less likely... sorry I can't guarantee it." Neo huffed near Yang's ear, causing the blonde to glance away with a small huff of her own. Granted, earlier in the day she had the intent of killing this short woman, but now she felt bad about her actions. Was Neo really out to kill her, or perhaps, were strings being pulled to cause this? Yang truly needed to know, but she couldn't find a way to that information right now.

"It's alright, I guess. I just don't want you to suddenly flip out on me or anything. We've had our differences, but you're not too bad when it comes down to it. I just hope that not being in that other side had caused you too much pain, ah, I hate seeing people in pain, from stuff like this." The blonde gently placed her hand on Neo's sore knee, causing the half-brunette lightly groan. Such a delicate touch hurt, she could only imagine what a strike to it would do.

The short woman backed away from Yang, sighing silently as she looked at her with those grayed-out eyes, causing the blonde to feel a little bit sorry for her. Whatever had happened to warrant this, it made her feel sick in the stomach for the most part. Despite her anger and frustration earlier, Yang definitely preferred to face her opponents at full power, not in a state which would leave them vulnerable to those without substantial auras.

Several minutes of silence passed, as Yang decided to write the last bit of an essay about why the Grimm were so drawn to the negative emotions of people, all while Neo watched over her working. It was weird, the way things were going, the fighter felt as though she had another Ruby sitting by here watching... Though as she glanced back and saw the gray eyes of Neo, she definitely thought otherwise.

Neo was acting a little strange though, her eyes closed, sitting up as though ready to stand up and attack something. Inside of her head, a battle was waged, a fight for control which no one but her could decide the outcome. She was almost certain that her other side would come out, though it would be a little while yet before that truly happened. For now, all she needed to do, was stay calm, focused and she would get through this night without incident. Of course, however, things usually didn't go to plan for the short woman.

As though suddenly passing out, she began to have a flashback to a moment in the past, something both important and unforgivable.

•-•

'"Neo, I told you very specifically, to take out the blonde. Did I not tell you that?" Cinder circled around the shorter girl, who looked as though she had taken a rough beating already. "Or, are your skills just not adequate enough to do the job?" Neo glanced up, her eyes wide open with a mixture of pain and anger, before she sat herself upright.

"I already told you before, I was interrupted by one of your old friends. You can't just pin the failure on my inability to-" Cinder's eyes lit up, before kicked the short woman in the chest, winding her almost instantly, and causing her to fall onto her back.

"Silence. Maybe, if you didn't play around with your prey so much, you'd actually get shit done. But no. You chose to be your usual self. This isn't the first time Neo, but this will be the last." Her hand began glowing in a crimson shade, evidence which the half-brunette had seen before indicating that she was about to die. However, before that final blow could connect, someone walked into the rather dreary room, someone who almost always had Neo's back.

"Cinder, Cinder, Cinder... Look, I know you are my boss, but could you PLEASE, pretty please, not permanently disable my merchandise," Something endearing, coming from the dapper lad himself. "If you really need her to take some punishment for this, just break a leg or something. No need to kill. She's still useful, ain't you cupcake?" Roman looked toward the short woman, who nodded in his general direction. The boss herself sighed, letting her anger lessen, though soon afterward she threw the charged fireball into the wall, leaving a rather nasty scorch mark upon the metal. Cinder wasn't to be messed with, especially when she was angry.

After that scary episode, Neo was taken by Roman into his own office, a place of luxury and comfort. He was welcoming to the little ice cream at least, but her beatings and failures weren't going to earn her any good points in this organisation. "Neo, Neo, Neo... It's unfortunate that we meet under these circumstances but you leave me no choice. As my subordinate, I'm expecting you to aspire to be as good as me at the jobs we do, but considering your recent failures... It makes a man wonder. Are you really committed to the White Fang, or are your eyes elsewhere?" His question was tough to answer, not due to the answer itself, but the implications of it. If Neo took a wrong turn, she might very well see herself dead on this day.

"... Roman, I, they're elsewhere." She whispered, looking down in absolute shame. For the moment, her eyes were a silver colour - the difference being that she could not escape in such a sorry state, not in this 'guise' anyways. "That blonde Cinder sent me to kill? It's her. I have to... Make sure she's alright. I hope you understand."

"Well, now isn't this just interesting. You'd think to betray me - the only person in this disheveled mess who actually gives a damn about you personally - for someone who is clearly the enemy? I'm not sure what has gotten into you, Little Ice Cream, but it ends now." Roman walked over, crouching before the short woman while he held his beloved cane.

"No." Neo responded defiantly, her gaze picking up to look at the redhead, whose face suddenly changed expression. He was surprised by her defiance, but he did not expect it at all. For the last ten years she had been so loyal to him, it made him wonder why she had a change of heart.

"Never took you to be a traitor, Neo. How about I go and tell Cinder, I bet she'd like to have a word with you- but you know I'm not that evil, or bad. I trust you, like a father would his daughter. You might not be mine, but... I consider you one." Taken aback, the short woman leaned herself forward, allowing the criminal mastermind to hug her gently. "That being said, I can't be there for you all of the time. Maybe once or twice, here or there, but never all the time. You're on your own as soon as you get out of here."

"But-" Neo began to protest, but Roman covered her mouth, shaking his head.

"Maybe there's a reason why you'd think so fondly of the blonde girl, but, I just want you to know that you'll be hunted down, for all you know and your connections. You won't be safe. Are you willing to take that risk, Neo?" His gaze narrowed, a sinister air filling the office while he pulled away from the short embrace.

"... Yes. I must." Her answer was simple, though it held so much more meaning than Roman took it to take. With a sigh and a shrug, he pressed a button underneath his desk, which opened up the large Scroll which made up the wall behind his beloved chair.

"You'll find a way out through here, alright? Just know that-"

The door was suddenly blasted open, jets of flame visible in the aftermath. Cinder walked through the hole she had created, already knowing what Roman intended to do. "Well, isn't this rude?" He commented, but he swiftly took a slap to the jaw, sending him into the wall nearby. The burning hues of the woman locked onto the beaten up woman, who promptly stood herself up and broke out of the shackles she had around her hands.

"Little girl, I didn't say you could avoid your punishment. And you, Torchwick; I'll have a word with you later." Cinder turned her attention back to the little ice cream, before she set her hands on fire in anger and began throwing fiery punches. Naturally, Neo snapped back into her other side, the kind which could deal with even Cinder, but not for too long. Her weakened body was screaming in agony, but she couldn't falter now. If she could kill this woman now, then maybe Roman could get out of here as well as herself, and they can begin a new life. Unfortunately, though Neo was adept at dodging strikes, the glass shattered and a terrifying kick slammed into her leg, breaking it upon impact, causing her to scream as loudly as she had in her entire life.

This was what prompted Roman to get himself up, firing his cane at the pissed off woman. He knew he wasn't any match for her, but if Neo could get into that Scroll, she would be safe.

"Neo! Hurry! Get into the Scroll!" He shouted, barely blocking a strike from Cinder. "I'll find you!" Neo crawled, her vision blurred from the sheer pain of her situation, and as she got to the scroll, she saw Roman one last time. Of course, her barely conscious brain couldn't pick it up, though...

The redhead was blasted in the chest, killing him in that moment.

Neo might have weeped within the Scroll, but she passed out soon after entering it.

•-•

As Neo returned to the present day, her head throbbing lightly, she suddenly noticed that there was an extra person in the room, yellow eyes with a piercing gaze locked onto her small frame.

"Yang... What is she doing here?" Blake looked between the blonde and the half-brunette, trying to figure out what was going on.

"Listen, Blake, I can explain..." Yang showed her hands, though the Faunus wasn't having any of it. A streak of jealousy took her expression as she leaped toward Neo, only to collide with Yang who knocked them both onto the ground. "Blake! God damn you! I said I would explain!"

"Explain what? Harbouring one of the enemy in our dorm? Spending time with her and missing that excuse for a party?! I only went for you, but it seems you didn't really appreciate it." Her words dug deep into Yang's mind, though the blonde stood herself up, holding her hand for the ravenette to get herself to her feet.

"I'll... I'll explain everything." The fighter spoke in a soft, sincere voice, as the faunus awaited that which might break her heart.


	5. 5-Aeon

An hour passed as Yang explained to Blake just what was going on with Neo being here, and though the half-brunette was relatively silent, she was listening intently. Had she just caused tensions to flare between these two? We're they together already? The questions kept on coming, but Neo couldn't just bear to listen.

"... And so, I punched her during lunch break, and well, I couldn't just leave her there. She was injured too, like, she must have not slept for a few days or something." Yang looked to the shorter woman who had gotten down from the bed above. "Ah, hey Neo. You alright?"

"I'm okay." She muttered, nodding lightly and seating herself right next to the blonde, Blake seated on the opposite side, her eyes a little bit less murderous in appearance.

"Alright, well... I forgive you. But just as Weiss has said many times; don't keep stuff like this from the team, it doesn't do anyone any good, especially not /us/." The faunus definitely put emphasis on that, before she rested her weary head upon Yang's shoulder. "Neo, if that's your name... I want you to know that I'm sorry about what has happened to you, but don't think it means we're friends."

"It's fine." The half-brunette responded, looking across to see just how close the two women beside her were. No matter how she felt about Yang, she couldn't possibly break them up, right? However, a soft tingling took place in the back of her mind, a tempting one, to immediately shank the faunus with her own blade, which was resting against the bookcase right now. Though her eyes flashed between their colours, the other side didn't take hold, and in the silence filling the room, she felt nothing but a despairing regret. She had come so far just to get here, and now, it seems like her hopes were dashed before they could be realised for the first time, for better or for worse.

Yang and Blake chattered for a little while, speaking of their relationship and then their classes, before the little ice cream noticed a tick in her eye. Realising what this meant, she instinctively stood herself up, moving toward the door before the blonde noticed. "Hey, Neo, everything okay?" She asked, though when she didn't get an answer, she too stood up.

Blake remained seated, though her keen senses were locked onto the short woman. Inside that two-toned head, the battle waged again, a clash of swords and fire erupting all around the blank landscape. Neo was losing this time however, and this gave her enough reason to give up on it, at this time. As much as she didn't want to hurt Yang anymore, the other side thirsted and there was no stopping it. Eyes flickering into solid brown, she slowly turned her body, making sure the two women saw what had just happened.

"Yang... Get away from her." Blake warned, though even that didn't stop the purple eyed fighter, who simply gazed ahead, looking to see if there was going to be any sudden movements from Neo.

"No, Blake, I just have to be careful. Anger and fighting isn't the way, either is running away." The blonde had a knowing tone to her voice, and despite the jealousy flaring within the ravenette once more, she trusted Yang's judgment, just like she had on many occasions. "Neo, are you there? Neo?" Her question was met with silence, though the brown eyes had not changed, nor had the honestly disheveled looking woman moved an inch after making herself known. This other side was a tricky beast indeed, something out of the ordinary, well above the pay grade of a couple of in-training huntresses.

"Neo isn't here." The other side spoke, in both a different tone and a different volume to the Neo Yang and Blake had met on this day. She sounded older, more experienced, as though this was Neo's true self, despite the other extreme's pleading. "I am though."

"What have you done to her?" Yang bit her bottom lip, studying as best she could; she wasn't the type to assess people, but now seemed like a really good time to start practicing; although the thought of being completely outclassed by this 'other side' Neo spoke of was kind of scary. The blonde looked back to Blake, who already had her weapon within her hands, ready to act at any moment, even in such a small room. Her yellow gaze was burning with something beyond hatred, she knew what this 'thing' had done to the one she felt truly in love with.

"Nothing. She's just... Resting, for now. As you may or may not know, I'm a little more energetic than she is. She wouldn't have gotten so beat up if I took the reins, she knows this," The other side sighed, looking off to the side without a single blink. "But of course, she fears me. I'm sure you do too, I can... Feel it." With that statement, she turned her form toward Yang, before standing right in front of her.

"Are you saying, that you, a human, are able to do something the Grimm can? What?" Yang asked, though after the words left her mouth, she soon noticed that the other side was poised and ready to strike, her eyes already changed, smirk present. The blonde immediately moved back hurriedly as a kick whiffed by her chin, ultimately causing the fuming Blake to snap.

The faunus was on the little ice cream as fast as any huntress was onto her prey, a flurry of slashes and punches thrown at the tiny frame of the other side. Though as was evidenced in her fight with Yang, most of them were outright dodged, while the last few were redirected to push Blake into the door itself. The heterochromatic woman slammed her tight fist into the ravenette's head, though soon realised it was an illusion, and in turn got her fist stuck in the door. Knowing the power of even this woman's punches, Blake circled around quickly, going for a slash to the lower back, only to have it suddenly kicked away by a combat boot, a second kick aimed right at her head. Luckily, she managed to pull a phantom to take the hit, though she was staggered somewhat.

Ripping her hand out of the door, the other side turned herself around once more, running toward Blake and aiming a kick square at her head, though before it connected, Yang came into the fray. Rather than her usual style of fast, rapid punches, she threw her weight behind a shoulder charge, which ultimately caught the other side off guard. Knocked to the ground, her eyes flickered a little, a mixture of panic and confusion set upon her usually dead calm exterior. The other side knew a lot about Yang, but didn't know she was willing to try something new like that, especially since she knew more about the blonde than even she herself did. In any case, she got herself back up - graciously as least - before looking between the two fighters who were so poised to stop her while in this state. "You two are walking a thin line, you know. I may be the enemy, but even enemies have times where they feel especially out of place. If I don't get my parasol before Neo inevitably tries again to take over again, I think I'm going to have to kill one of you."

"Wait wait wait," Yang looked at the other side, surprised. "What happens if we give you your parasol?"

"Well, then I really get to have some fun with both of you." Knowing of the obviously evil intentions, the two members of team RWBY looked at each other and then nodded. The two joined their assaults, Yang going for another tackle while Blake leaped from the nearby bunk to strike from the air, all while the other side simply stood there. Her multicoloured eyes opened, and when the team effort finally connected, a wall of glass shattered.

"The name's Aeon, if you really need to know. Though, for now, I honestly don't feel like wasting my time with the two of you." Her gaze went from one to the other, standing right beside the bookcase now. It baffled Yang, how she could just be in one place and then in the next. Blake, however, was more than keen to keep this fight going. She charged at the smirking woman, who appeared to warp to the spot next to where Blake's strike landed, much of the bookcase being sliced apart in her rage. "I don't usually stand there, darling. Sorry about your bookcase, but I have a parasol to find." With that, the two were suddenly left alone, Aeon gone along with Neo on the inside, and they were both left confused. What was the purpose of her appearance now? Shaking her head with a sigh, Blake threw her weapon onto her bed, looking distressed.

"She was going to kill you Yang, why didn't you just do something before she turned into... Aeon?" The ravenette turned to the blonde, who promptly looked around for some kind of excuse. Yang didn't like to admit it, but being put on the spot for being in the wrong made her u comfortable at best.

"Look, I had just spent several hours with a person who wasn't Aeon, and they were actually kind of nice. I know I have an issue with anger and all of that, but damn, she gave me a real good reason to feel bad for knocking her out earlier today." Defending her case, the top heavy woman crossed her arms, looked away with her gaze showing her hurt.

"That doesn't change anything, and you know it. I trusted you, but... You were so easy to convince or something to make me go alone to that social hellhole. I know it isn't fair but for once in your life, can't you just focus on me for a little while?!" Blake's pent up emotions spilt like a glass of water, and she looked Yang in the eye, hoping for something to happen from this. With a drawn out sigh, the blonde approached, and without a word claimed the faunus's lips. The ravenette was quick to pull away, going to protest but stopped almost immediately by a second embrace. For reasons unknown to her, Yang knew that she had to cherish this time together, else she would regret it for the rest of her life.

The two shared a fond moment together, all while Aeon strode along the halls of Beacon Academy, looking around frantically for the parasol her other half had so stupidly let go of, somewhere. She was determined to find it, and her less than desirable traits only fuelled this hunger for the outdoor item. Had this been a manhunt, she would have surely tore up the entire place, resistance or not.

•—•

"Where, oh where, did you drop the damned parasol, you stupid little girl!" Speaking to herself wasn't the brightest idea, but it did give her a little peace of mind; talking to someone she agreed with was always calming. In the same vein, however, the recurring flashback plagued even this side of her, after being beaten senseless by Cinder. Perhaps it was just coping, but Aeon loved to be like the fiery woman, and this didn't bode well for anyone at all.

Inside, Neo was trying her hardest to get out, to make things right for herself and for others, but the moment Aeon found that parasol, she would be in for a spree of her own kind. Unfortunately, no matter how hard she tried, Aeon had complete control of her body and she couldn't get away from it now. There was a sense of dread she had never felt before, which was so strong that it was felt by the other side, though she shook her head, simply focused on finding that damned parasol.

Finally, she found the item sitting right near a door, which definitely led to one of the lecture halls within the building. Aeon caressed the parasol as though it was her child, before she opened it and looked around, feeling on top of the world. However, when she heard some heels stepping around, she turned around, looking around with those crazed eyes.

Chatting amongst themselves, Weiss and Ruby were talking about how the party had gone, and naturally, Weiss's mind turned to the boys she wished she had the confidence to just ask out. Interrupting her thoughts was something that was punishable by death in most cases, though when Ruby tugged her arm and pointed toward the woman standing there with a blade out, Weiss made an immediate exception.

"I've seen her before." The white haired maiden stated, a frown taking her fair features. Opening the chic clutch she had while at the party, she grabbed what was a more portable version of her trusted rapier, the blade extending exactly to her preference. "Ruby, you sit this one out. She's dangerous, and only I can take her on." Before the leader of team RWBY could argue, Weiss had already dashed toward the multicoloured woman, who was eagerly awaiting the first attempt at a strike.

Though she thought she connected, the fact of the matter was that Aeon had appeared beside her, a brutal kick rocking her form as she slid across the floor. Unlike Yang, who Aeon had to truly be careful with, a fragile little princess was short work. All attacks were ineffectual if they could not land, and the other side definitely used this to her advantage. Weiss attempted another attack, mostly out of anger than précision, and it whiffed badly; playing right into Aeon's hands, who used this moment to slash the woman across the face.

Meanwhile, Ruby clenched her teeth, half in anger, and half in confusion; she couldn't believe her eyes, the little ice cream had moved from one space to another in the blink of an eye, and for someone who was so focused on speed, this was scary. In any case, the little red huffed and tensed herself, activating her semblance and charging toward Aeon without holding back. She needed to take revenge for her teammate, just like any decent leader would; she thought of Qrow as she slammed into something, hopefully, a certain half-brunette. Opening her eyes afterward, she noticed a body several metres away, and in knowing that, she hurriedly went back to Weiss's side, who was clutching her face, red stains upon the floor, her hands and her clothes.

"That... That bitch! I'm going to kill her!" Weiss announced, shrugging Ruby off her shoulders and furiously she begin making her way over to the woman who was knocked over, rapier in a vice grip while the bottom half of her face was coloured crimson. "No one does that to me, no one! You hear me?! No one!" Her icy blue eyes opened in a rage, as Neo raised her arms, hoping not to be dead in a few seconds. Luckily for her, Ruby was on hand.

"Weiss, no!" The little red charged for her team mate, stopping her before the inevitable happened. "No, no no no! You can't just give in to your anger like that!" Ruby pleaded in desperation, hoping that it would bring the fired up ice queen under control, or at least to a less murderous state. The Schnee glared at her leader, before huffing and shaking her head, as the younger woman took off her hood and let Weiss use it as a temporary bandage. "I know that you want to just take her out, but violence isn't always the answer! I might have knocked sense into whoever she is, but... you need to make sure you know all of the facts. That's what Qrow would do!" Then, the little red turned her attention to Neo, who still had that op horrified look on her face, and her arms were still raised; it must get tiring, Ruby thought to herself. While Weiss went off by herself toward the medical facility, the leader of team RWBY knelt down beside Neo. "Hey, I don't know you, but I need you to come with me. It's okay, I won't hurt you, I just... Want to ask you some questions." Seeing the kindness brimming from the top of Ruby's heart, the little ice cream stood herself up, immediately showing pain as she stepped on her still rather badly hurt leg.

The two wandered along the hallways of Beacon, Ruby supporting Neo and her leg, while they spoke with each other. The half-brunette couldn't stop apologising for the things her other side had done, and even in her head, Aeon spoke about taking over once again, to hurt everyone Neo had ever known or loved. The thought was chilling, but she simply had to try and block it out as best she could.

"So, you were the one who almost took my sister's life on that train, huh?" Ruby asked so calmly, as though it was a usual question to bring up. Though, naturally, Neo answered honestly.

"Well... It was my body, but it wasn't me, Neo. You can tell who is in control by the colour of the eyes. I'm, unfortunately, the sad looking one. Aeon is the colourful one." Ruby looked intrigued by this, though she gulped and placed her free hand on the other's free shoulder.

"I'm sorry, it's just an important question to bring up. Unlike some of my teammates, I like... Knowing what's going on, y'know? So, how likely is it that you'll suddenly be thrown out of control? For this Aeon?" Again, Neo couldn't help but be herself here.

"It's likely, more likely than I first thought. I haven't been in control for a very long time, and... Staying here is the hard part. So is retaking control, but I think I'm getting stronger. I believe one of your friends has had a similar experience, thought to be useless, but turning out to be okay in the end." Neo nodded some, before Ruby smiled gently. There was such a knowing look in those silver eyes which made the remarkably shorter woman wonder.

"Alrighty then. Well, I guess, we'll get you to the medical bay as well, and get that leg looked at. What happened?" Ruby turned a corner, before Neo suddenly stopped.

"I... I don't want to talk about it. Sorry." The only thing she could do right now was hold her tongue, lest her anger spike and force her own person out of her body, allowing Aeon the reins once more. The more Neo thought about it, the more afraid she became, though upon seeing the hesitation and sadness upon her features, Ruby gave Neo a light hug.

"Don't worry about it. I've got your back, Neo."

 **/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\**

 **Author's note time! About time too.**

 **Hey there readers, followers, and everyone else under the sun! I'd just like to say that this chapter took a while to write, and I'd appreciate it if you could give me some feedback! Be it my portrayal of the characters, the general plot (that you can see so far :D) and any other details you feel may be worth addressing, I'm open for criticism!**

 **I'd like to say thanks for reading, and I'll be working on the next chapter while this one becomes live. ^^**

 **Yours truly, Suzie.**


	6. 6-Date

The ice cream gazed around the room while team RWBY thought about her very existence in this place. If she were to flip out again, would she really be contained by the sheer speed of Ruby? These questions and similar ones plagued the short woman's mind, where Aeon was dormant and plotting her next move, the next attempt to retake control like she had not long ago. The conditions had to be in her favour, else she would risk just wasting time and energy.

Weiss was the first to pipe up, her injury from the woman's parasol evidently sending her into overdrive. "No, no way, she is not staying here." Her eyes showed only hatred toward the petite woman, who admittedly looked as though she had just been framed for murdering someone and was getting thntire guilt bucket poured on her head. "Do any of you have your heads screwed on straight? She isn't someone who I'd feel comfortable sleeping in the same room with. She'll probably just go psycho and kill us all!" The winter chill looked at her companions, noticing that they all seemed pretty okay with Neo's presence. "Are you kidding me. Am I the only voice of reason in this damn room?!"

"Weiss, just because you got cut by Aeon, doesn't mean Neo is bad company. We're all aware now that she has this... Other side to her, but it doesn't define her, as much as you'd like it to." Yang stood up for the half-brunette, and though she glanced over to Blake, who was just about visibly fuming, she knew she had said the right thing. Ruby was trying to distract herself with her homework, not wishing to be a part of this, as much as it effected her team. The leader felt confused and conflicted about all of this, and while Weiss was always one to voice her concerns, maybe Yang was right. An anger vein was visible from the injured huntress, who promptly stormed out of the room, causing Ruby' to roll her eyes lightly and go on after her. She gave a small wave to the rest of the gang, who were still reeling from the recent ordeal of Aeon.

"Weiss, come on, please wait up-" Ruby tried to stop her with words; though that was a trivial attempt at best. Tensions were indeed high, but being who she was, she couldn't just let Weiss be on her own, especially in a time like this.

"Don't even go there Ruby, I'm not standing for this, no way!" The fuming woman simply continued striding at an increased pace, before the leader caught up with her around the next bend and physically stood in her way.

"No, don't do this to yourself! Okay, I might not be the person you want to see right now, or the one to fix all of your problems, but for once in your life, can't you just endure the problem here?!" The little red pleaded, and though Weiss let up for a second, she simply became a lot angrier than before. The winter chill's fists clenched hard, she got right up in Ruby's face before responding.

"I'm not here at Beacon to deal with shit like this, okay?! All I want to do, is become a great huntress, and maybe find the love of my life amongst all of these idiots, okay?! I don't give a damn about anything else, I just want to become the best there ever was, got it?!" With that mild rant, Weiss pushed the little red out of the way, continuing on her path toward the outdoors, where she could properly cool off. Ruby looked hurt, though she shook her head, knowing she couldn't do anything about it.

•-•

Meanwhile, the other three females were chatting amongst themselves, trying to figure out the causes and triggers for Aeon's appearance earlier. It was definitely odd, considering it wasn't out of anger or sadness, the usual things which kept the maniac in control. Neo looked rather uncomfortable as she was getting grilled, each question aimed to get an immediate answer.

"What is it like to be trapped inside your own body?" Blake asked, arms crossed and eyes flared, ready to get the answers she wanted if the wrong words left the half-brunette's mouth, although Yang was there ready to defend Neo if she could. She was the one who had the heart to heart with her after all, and it would be wrong to go back on the newfound friendship.

"I can't really describe it well. It feels like I'm floating, but I can see everything Aeon is doing, if that makes sense. As though I can't move an inch, but can put pressure on my mind to get her out of my body for several moments, long enough to lock her away for a time. Though, no matter what I do, it just always comes back to this, where she goes on a rampage, people get hurt, and I take the blame for it," She looked down at the floor, seated at the faunus's bed, wave after wave of regret washing over her form. "It's not like I can somehow remove Aeon from my body, so this is just what we all have to put up with for the moment. I'm sorry that I can't give you some more insight, but maybe you're the kind of person to understand and respect that regardless." Neo finally looked up, a look of determination present on her features. There was something about voicing her concerns and problems to other people which caused a pit in her stomach, though at the same time, a surge of courage seemed to grip her form.

"I hope you know that both of us," Yang glanced to Blake, giving her a short frown, "Don't think of you any less than yourself, and now that we've got that out of the way, why don't we all go out somewhere? It'd do us all some good to get out of this place for a little while." At the suggestion, Blake didn't take it too well.

"Count me out, then. I've got things to sort out anyways." The Faunus glared at Yang, and then at Neo, before also making her way out of the room, which was beginning to feel so very empty. The blonde sighed heavily, scratching the back of her head before turning her attention to the half-brunette, purple eyes softening just a touch.

"I guess this is a date, then?" Neo visibly blushed, before she gulped lightly and gently nodded.

"I suppose it is, huh?" Her gentle smile returned after the the anxiety which had been eating away at her innards for a little while now. "Though, I can't go like this. Have you got anything that I could wear, or maybe someone else does..?" With a tilt of her head, the shorter female blinked her eyes a few times, causing Yang to appear surprised for a moment.

"Oh! Uh, well... I'm sure Ruby has a spare dress or two that she isn't planning on wearing anyways, so I'll grab that for you after I get myself dressed. No peeking, got it?!"

Neo sighed a little, as she pressed her head against the wall next to the door frame, eyes closed as she thought to herself; and in turn, to Aeon. 'Don't you dare, okay? Not now. Of all times, not now,' She pleaded, as the other side merely huffed in an ethereal way.

'Can't promise anything.' It responded bluntly, though it was much better than having threats slung at herself, in a way. The whole situation with Aeon was a mess to begin with, and Neo couldn't wait to be rid of her, one day.

"Alright, I'm presentable again." Yang spoke gently, the sound of a zipper hitting the top of the teeth heard as the half-brunette turned around, eyes widening at the blonde's appearance. Wearing a single shoulder black dress which fit her form rather well, the fighter looked ready to seduce people on the dance floor, let alone just a simple 'date' as it was put. Neo snapped herself out of the momentary trance she seemed within, transfixed by the woman's noticeable beauty. Of course, she would have loved to do something with that hair, though with a simple shrug she walked on over.

"You look lovely." Her subtle compliment brought a slightly smug grin to Yang's features, who promptly passed her a rather nice looking blue dress, simple in design yet fitting for an occasion like this.

"Why thank you, Neo. You're the best. Uh, also, I don't know your sizes or anything sooooo... I got some double sided tape if you need to uh, make sure things stay on." Yang gave a less than subtle wink, before walking out of the room to allow the little ice cream some privacy to get dressed. The blonde definitely wondered what she was feeling right now, a mix of regret and happiness almost, knowing of the rest of her team being scattered so easily over what was to her, nothing, definitely put a dent in the mood in general.

She leaned against the wall outside the door, looking left and then right, before staring at her feet, clad in simple yet elegant shoes. Was this the way to go, for now? The blonde didn't want to deal with this right now, and instead, ran a hand through her luscious hair before Neo stepped out of the room, dressed prim and proper, her dual tone hair up in a tail, showing off some small hanging earrings that she seemed to have been wearing this entire time. With a gentle smirk toward her date, she definitely noticed that Yang was just a little bit stunned by how she looked right now.

"Well, ah... You dress up well." She nodded in agreement, before ushering the woman clad in blue to follow her lead, stepping along at a steady pace so as to not aggravate the shorter female's leg problem. "We're going to have a night on the city, just you and me, okay? Hopefully by the time we get back, the others will be settled and we won't have such a huge problem on our hands. Sound good?"

"Yeah, that does sound good. I'm just wondering how they'll take me staying in the room with you; especially Weiss and Blake. Say, before we go any further, could I ask you a question?" Neo stopped for a moment, crossing one leg over the other for the moment. Yang turned around, though the look on her face was like she knew the question already. "Are you and Blake..?"

"Oh! Uh, no, nah, we're not together like that. I mean I'm sure she has a crush on me, but... She's a little bit too clingy for me. Not that she's a bad person! Just, yeah..." Trying to make up for a small stutters and fumbles with words, Yang simply reached for the shorter woman's hand and grasped it, finally beginning their trip out of the academy and into the streets of the city nearby. Neo had numerous thoughts going on, but they weren't as important as the surge of confidence she had now that she knew what she did. The fact that they weren't together, it simply worked much better, and didn't tempt the other side into showing herself.

The bustling noise of the city's nightlife brought a certain sense of peace to the two women, a steady pace they remained at while they took in all of the sights. The atmosphere was almost electric, though the large ships which covered the stars were a little off putting. In such a case, Yang knew exactly where she wanted to go, and she didn't stop until she reached the train station, finally letting go of Neo's hand and looking toward her.

"Where are we going?" The half-brunette obviously asked, a look of partial confusion upon her face, coupled with her gray eyes it was like she was about to say goodbye to the blonde forever.

"Just a little spot I like to go where there aren't any war ships or anything nearby. Somewhere... Quiet, y'know?" She chuckled softly, before letting Neo on first. She flashed a small card at the station officer, who quickly nodded and allowed the two on board, to wherever this quiet place was located.

The train ride wasn't going to be terribly long, but in that time the night sky had truly lit up, the moon and the twinkling stars making a dark night less so. Neo kept her eyes out of the window, wondering why she was here at all, and why she had left Torchwick and the White fang as she did. Maybe it wasn't the time to dwell on such things, but being in control of her own body, it definitely felt fitting. At least Aeon seemed to have fallen asleep, a lack of any pulling or tearing in her head evidence of that. In any case, she watched the trees and the fields go by, before the train was running right through the middle of a lake, the water glistening and generally looking pretty.

"Hey," Yang caught her attention suddenly, having been seated beside the half-brunette, simply watching and observing for once. Unlike Blake, who would have probably been all over the blonde this entire time, there was a serenity to the air which she couldn't quite place, either on Neo, the train ride itself or even herself. "If you're feeling bad about what Aeon has done while in your body, I... Just want to know that I spoke with them. I'm sure you can hear them when they're in control, but in case you're not, she told me that you fear her." Neo soon looked back at Yang, as though the woman had insulted her in a way.

"Fear her? Nah, just scared of what she'll do, because the blame is put on me. You saw it, Weiss and Blake are suspicious of me, and even your own sister has her doubts. I see it in the way they look at me, and the way their faces just kinda... slump after noticing I'm there. Unlike being in the company of Cinder, which Aeon honestly enjoys, you guys just aren't up to her standards yet," The little ice cream gulped, placing a gentle hand upon the fighter's knee. "I'm not saying we'll all suddenly be best friends or something, but, I think what you did while back in the room with her was the right approach. She's just impulsive is all, jittery too. I'm amazed that she's asleep right now." After listening to the explanation, Yang nodded, letting out a small noise of understanding. She wasn't one to just dismiss such important things, and in turn, placed her hand upon Neo's.

"I never knew that someone who had another side to them - literally - could still seem so polite and humble to that which, well, wants to tear them apart somehow. That's admirable, Neo. I know that the rest of the team won't think this way, but I'm kinda starting to like you a little. You're... Weirdly calm, t-the good weird mind you," Queue short cough. "But yes, I want you to know that I'm... With you, one hundred percent. I've got your back. Aeon is a different story, but if I can somehow get through to her as well, then it would be great. Of course I'm not willing to just test this out all willy nilly, but in time... Maybe." Neo gazed rather fondly at the taller female, her words getting through to her as intended, and while Yang didn't return such a pondering look, she did rub her thumb gently against the back of the little ice cream's hand.

The noise of the train soon faded out into the back of their minds, their hues now away from each other. The only thing connecting them right now was a subtle hand hold, one which held barely any meaning for the moment, or at least not enough to be noticeable by the two. Neo went back to looking out of the window, admiring the lake they were still crossing, amazed that such a place even existed. She may have been somewhat street savvy, but this was something else entirely.

Soon enough, the train began to slow down, indicated by a sudden shuffle which almost threw both of them off balance, the shorter grasping onto the arms of the taller, after which they laughed gently about the situation. This was all innocent, fun and games it could be called, and truly that is what it felt like at the moment. For someone who didn't have much of a childhood, Nek was grateful for Yang on this day, of all days.

Finally, they were ready to leave the train and go off to where Yang truly wanted to take Neo, a small place owned by one man, who served customers only a few times a year, almost as though this was his way of doing a good deed to the world. The blonde knew the guy, so they didn't have to pay a cent, though she always felt guilty whenever she came out here.

"This is a little secret off the beaten path, I know we've been walking for ten minutes straight, but trust me, it's worth it. I'll give your leg a little massage before we go back, promise." She grinned lightly, before arriving at the small hut with a veranda fit for a small table and a couple of chairs, no one would think he had even one customer at this little venue of his. As they neared the hut itself, they climbed over a small rise, which then gave them what Yang had always loved.

The view was immense, a vast lake shining under the moonlight, and the city visible from so many miles away. It gave the blonde a sense of ease that she didn't feel anywhere else, and now that she was here, she led Neo into the hut proper.

"Hey, old man." She greeted ever so casually, a lithe gentlemen appearing from behind one of the wafer thin sliding doors. He smiled, and without a word, nodded toward Yang and went off to prepare something, evidenced by the sound of pots clanging. "This guy is great, your tastebuds won't know what hit them!" The woman was enthused, and Neo tried to be as well, despite how crushingly low she felt about being out here all alone, without the rest of team RWBY. Deciding it was time to let that go, she gulped gently and led Yang back outside, sitting down at the small arrangement so obviously made for two people.

"I like it out here; the air is cold, the view is amazing at this time of night, and I'm here with you," Neo glanced over to the blonde as she spoke the last part, which was greeted with a slight roll of the eyes. "I may not seem it, but I appreciate the smaller things in life. I know we've had our battles in the past, and well, Aeon trying to kill you isn't very good of me or her, but I just want to say... Thank you. Thanks for giving a chance, Yang. I couldn't have done this without you, without the thought of you, without-" She was interrupted by the arrival of an aroma so potent and delicious that she looked at the table and saw what appeared to be homemade burgers, looking to Yang for a comically long moment. "Burgers? Really? That's what's so special about out here?"

"And here you were saying you appreciated the small things. It isn't really about what it is, but how it does its thing. Kinda like you. You're Neo, and Aeon's Aeon, but at the end of the day you're allowed to be around. I've... Thought about this a little I admit, but you have every right to exist you know? I've seen it too, Neo, that look in your eye, even if the gray makes it seem sadder than it is. I'll take you somewhere after we eat, I'll carry you too." Yang smiled softly, before she began digging in to the delicacy that she adored so much, glancing up a few times to see Neo taking a few bites of her own, the surprise on her face reminding the blonde of her little sister.

"I don't know what to say. This is simply amazing!" Neo exclaimed, before she began really digging in, taking each piece as though it was her last. After eating what could be seen was half of the rather generous portion, the little ice cream burped and immediately became embarrassed, Yang barely able to hold her laughter in.

"Oh my gosh, I'm sorry, that's just—Ahaha!" Neo's expression went awfully sour for a few moments, before she stood herself up and bowed her head lightly toward the little hut, somehow knowing that the old man inside was observing the two from where he was.

"So, haven't you got another place to carry me to?" The smirk returned, as the shorter woman stood next to the seated female, their heights noticeable; as though it wasn't already. Bumping Yang's shoulder with her hip, Neo blinked a few times and waited for a response.

"Yeah, I do. Lemme just—" The blonde swept the woman off her feet, making her emit a small yelp of protest, which soon simmered down into an almost permanent frown on Neo's face, not liking being held one bit. Though, perhaps it was Yang's kindness or belief in her, but for now, she could tolerate this.

The path Yang took soon faded into what was native grassland, the short yet stout foliage barely getting in the way of the strong female. The water's edge was nearby, and Neo held on tightly as it came nearer, her arms draped around the blonde's shoulders.

"You know, I think the rest of the team are going to freak out if you and I aren't back at the room when they decide to come back to it." The held woman stated matter-of-factly, though Yang shrugged in response.

"Eh, well, they walked out on us so easily, so liberally, so why not stay out for a little while? We'll be back before tomorrow, but for now, let's just focus on us," The blonde gulped a little bit, a tinge of hypocrisy biting at her neck. Shaking it off, she continued. "Blake and I, well, we've tried a few things together, but it never felt right, at least to me. I just want you to know that I'm as single as single can be, if a bee could be single. Aha." She dryly coughed.

"I had no problem with it to begin with, though it does bring me some ease. When I said I had been stalking you for a long time, I meant it. I won't say how long exactly, but I've observed enough to get an idea on who you are, without anyone or anything influencing that. But, I want to hear it from you, first hand." Neo paused for several long moments, as Yang let her down from the hold and they stood by the lakeside, the sound of water washing to and from shore mesmerising in its own right.

"I feel the same about you; the getting to know you first hand part, at least. I've been stalked before, see, so it isn't that big of an issue. As long as you weren't seeing things you shouldn't, then it's fine." Yang suspiciously eyed Neo, though the half-brunette nodded in agreement. For the first time in a while, their eyes made contact, and Neo felt her chest warm up just a little.

"Hey, Yang... Can I tell you something?" She asked so innocently, which caused the blonde to tilt her head a little bit.

"Ask away, cuteness." Neo's eyes widened for a moment, before she placed her hands at the other's waist, moving them up slowly, skipping the chest and resting them around the taller woman's neck.

"Come a little closer, I need to whisper it," The fighter did just that, leaned down enough for Neo to speak into her ear, a gentle voice she used. "Would you be surprised if I've felt so strongly about you for so long?"

"Strongly?" Yang questioned, blinking a few times before she felt petite hands cup her cheeks, the shorter of the two guiding their faces into a position most favourable. "I, I guess I kinda saw it coming but—"

"Hush. No more words," Neo mouthed 'Just kiss me' before their lips locked, the tilt of their heads allowing this experience to be much more than a simple lip embrace. They parted momentarily, before another embrace ensued, this time a little bit longer. Finally, the little ice cream bit softly onto the fighter's bottom lip, pulling gently as their breaths mixed with each other's. "That's how I feel about you."

"Neo, I..." Yang was genuinely taken aback, expecting some kind of friendly confession, and a lump of guilt hit her stomach as she knew that was probably Neo's first kiss, but not her own. Maybe the blonde felt like she was betraying the other, and her feelings could not be changed by anyone, but her pink cheeks and hands upon the shorter woman's waist and hip definitely told her otherwise. "I'm not sure what to say, I-I guess, your breath smells like strawberry." It was definitely an interesting concept, considering they had just eaten burgers, and yet Neo's exhales were just like she was letting out gaseous strawberries.

Though, as they enjoyed this close, intimate moment together, they failed to notice what was happening nearby, as several Faunus made themselves known at the small hut. An explosion occurred, lighting up the general landscape, and definitely catching the attention of the two women. Yang's face slumped, her grip on Neo suddenly tightening to an extreme level, before her eyes shot into crimson and she began charging at the now burning hut. Neo gasped softly, before chasing after the woman as best she could. This day, of all days, why did this have to happen?

In any case, there was going to be a fight on their hands, and Yang without her trusty gauntlets wasn't a pretty sight. Saying a gentle apology, Neo tore the dress a little to allow herself some more mobility, reaching behind her back to grab what was invisible the entire time; her beloved parasol. Yang might be without her weapons, but the half-brunette wasn't.

Neo smirked gently while her eyes gently flickered, knowing Aeon was awake once more. Mayne this time, the other side would be on their side.

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 **Welcome to another episode of Author's Note! (Okay Suzie, stop that now.)**

 **Ahaha, anyways.**

 **I hope you enjoyed this chapter! It was fun to write and I hope it gives some of the recent reviewers some relief; that being said, feel free to continue to review, the feedback helps and I can use all the help I can get.**

 **Thanks for reading, and may you have a pleasant day.**

 **Yours truly, Suzie.**

 **P.S. I think I'll be doing one of these notes at the end of, or maybe the beginning of the chapter. Lemme know which you'd prefer! PMs are always welcome. :)**


	7. 7-Fang

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 **Hey guys, Suzie here. Finally got this chapter done, huzzah! Hope you enjoy it, and feel free to leave feedback, I'm welcome to all of it. I'm feeling much better now too, so we can get this show on the road a little more frequently! :J**

 **Yours truly, Suzie.**

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A stormy day had blown through the landscape as a lone house atop a hill stood proudly, and despite the coming rain and thunder, it did not even creak. Inside, a teenager resembling the little ice cream was playing with a small yoyo, allowing it to spin and dance with quite a bit of skill involved. After the next crack of thunder, she heard some arguing within the kitchen; a common occurrence ever since her mother had allowed the Faunus man to move into their home. He was Neo's step father, a somewhat wealthy entrepreneur who was trying to bolster Faunus influence within Vale, but was failing rather miserably for the time being. Suddenly, she heard the crash of a dish being smashed over something, and a sinister feeling crept over her entire form, the yoyo stopping and skating across the floor as the girl let go of the string.

"Antar! Please! Stop this!" Her mother cried, but the step-father didn't let up. The sound of the beating was horrible to the ears of the teenager, though she kept to her room, not wanting to be the victim of the man's violence. "Gosh, please! Think of E—" Not even allowing her to finish her sentence, Antar kicked the woman in the stomach, winding her for several moments before she gasped for breath, huddled up in a ball on the kitchen floor. Even though Neo wished to confront this man, she couldn't out of fear of his hands on her, and something far worse. She could already feel it, a nagging at the back of her head, which beckoned her to take the parasol blade out of its sheathe and cut the step-father down to size, for his atrocities on her mother. Her eyes at this time were a gentle shade of green, though they flickered between three colours; white, pink and brown. Each combination caused her to get closer to the edge, before she heard the wails of her darling mother from the kitchen.

This is when she snapped. Absolutely tearing the sword from her parasol, her eyes changing to a combination of pink and brown, before pushed her door with such force that it came off the hinges, the loud crash suddenly stopping the man and his violent ways. Today he had simply gone too far, and Neo wasn't going to allow him to do this any longer. She turned the corner, where she met face to face with Antar, whose eyes flowed with their Faunus light.

"Did you break that door yourself, angel?" The man had blood on his face, and some on his hands, which only made the tick in Neo's head to intensify. Her eyes were wide open, a stark expression of horror and torment plastered on her features, as she revealed the sword she was holding.

"Yeah, father," Her voice had warped somewhat, a more pronounced, deeper version of what it usually was. "I broke that door. I made sure it was broken. And now? I'm going to break you too." Antar was not ready for the swift thrust, the blade impaling his gut as he let out a cry of pain, pushing Neo away savagely before trying to reduce the bleeding her was so inevitably getting. The teenager hit her head against the wall behind her, groaning a little before she was picked up by the step-father, who was clearly enraged.

"You want to be next too, huh?! Is that it?! Can't stand the thought of your mother being a whore?! You stupid child!" His large hands around her neck were causing her to choke, as she was picked up off the floor and felt her throat begin to be crushed. She gagged, trying to break out of what seemed to be a vice grip, the corners of her vision fading away as her life began to escape. "You should have stayed in your room..." Neo's eyes widened as she spotted someone behind Antar, a woman with two swords, already upon the tall man. Slashing the backs of his knees, Neo was suddenly let go as the Faunus fell to the ground instantly, his legs buckling underneath him while the woman kicked the end of Neo's parasol blade out of his body, causing the blood to leak out at a much faster rate.

"Never thought I'd see an abusive Faunus father, but," the woman spoke gently, as though this situation was just normal enough to be casual. "I can't let you kill her." Neo was doubled over, coughing and trying to catch her breath, her neck had almost snapped; if that woman hadn't come where she did, she would surely be dead by now. Though, for some reason, she was still able to stand up, her now pink hues displaying her absolute anger and rage. She kicked Antar in the head several times, shouting violently as she did, though the noise produced was no where near the volume it used to be. After this, she picked up the heavily bloodied blade she had used to begin this mess, before going to puncture this bastard's eyes, when the woman stopped her.

"Let me kill him." Neo pleaded, her rosy orbs staring frantically at her saviour, voice hoarse and begging for relief. The woman shook her head, moving the shorter girl out of the bloodied hallway, and most definitely away from the kitchen, to the front hallway of the house.

"He's already dead, you don't need to worry. My blades are coated in poison, he won't even last ten minutes with what we have both done here," She smiled gently toward the teenager, who noticed that this woman was at a similar age to herself. "The pain and agony he is going through right now is your payback for what he did to your mother. Though, if you really wish to seal the deal, then we can burn the house down. All we need is a single dust crystal..." She smirked deviously, before rummaging her own pocket, pulling out such a thing.

"But... Mother..." Neo whispered, coughing after speaking, wheezing for the most part. The woman shook her head, walking them both out of the house before she tossed the crystal inside, forming her blades into a bow before shooting it with precision. The flames exploded, catching onto the wallpaper, and soon enough, the house itself was beginning to smoulder. Looking at her handiwork, she grinned a little, before looking to Neo who looked devastated. Wrapping an arm around her shoulders and holding her close, the saviour shielded the teenager from the sight of her home going up in flames.

"It's okay now, I'll be your mother from now on. You don't need to be afraid of anything anymore, so you don't have to hide your weapon." Neo pulled away gently, surprised.

"You can notice that too?" She was genuinely shocked, thinking that she herself was crazy, though knowing that she wasn't, it filled her with a sense of joy. Her now white eyes gazed up fondly at the woman.

"Of course, mother sees, and knows, all," Placing a hand on the parasol, she looked down at Neo with a comforting smile. "Let us go now. Your new home awaits..."

"What's your name, mother..?" The shorter girl asked, as they began to walk along.

"Cinder."

As Neo looked back at her old home, her vision suddenly burned away as though a piece of paper being set alight, her head feeling an intense pain. Whatever these flashbacks were, or meant, she did not know for certain. They were just memories after all, and she could remember each and every one vividly in the first place.

"—I considered you a daughter, you fool!" Her fifth mission failed in a row, being told off by Cinder wasn't the best thing in the world.

"—Some mother you are." Being forced to take a brutal blow to the head, which could have been interfered with by Cinder, and yet, the fiery woman chose to do nothing as Neo got hit.

"—You need to get Aeon under the control, or else I will be forced to take action." Aeon had killed several people which were meant to be taken alive; the information lost was priceless, and that was what started the almost weekly beatings, which the other side took at the expense of Neo herself.

"—You know, you're alright kid. Probably the best partner I've worked with actually, though half of these dolts wouldn't know what a weapon was, let alone how to use them." Her first mission with Roman, which was within the last few years in fact, a memory she cherished so dearly.

Though, these too faded, a burning picture in the back of Neo's mind, while she felt herself finally shift back into her own body.

•—•

The burning shell that was the humble hut upon the hill brought about a severe mix of emotions from Yang, who acted upon them and channeled them into absolute rage. The man she had known for a long while now was likely dead, thanks to the Faunus who now charged at her, the intent obviously to kill. Her red eyes remained nonblinking while she let out a yell of passion, slamming her powered up fist into one of the approaching White Fang, sending them almost skyward while they began to gang up on her. Neo was soon to arrive, half hobbling, trying to be as quick as she could with her battered leg, and with the long pause she seemingly had due to her flashback. All of this walking wasn't doing her leg well and she knew it, but the carnage which was ensuing right now could not be condoned. Pressing onward, her determination evident, the short woman kept her pace up.

"Bastards!" She swore, taking on two of the Faunus at once, the different weapons somewhat causing her to hesitate with her movement and stance, though this was when Neo came into the fray; a woman possessed by her other side for the moment. Her sudden mobility caught the Fangs by surprise, and almost instantly they were cut down, bleeding from wounds which would down them for some time, as she protected Yang as best she could.

"If it's any consolation, I want to be the one to kill you." Aeon spoke in her distinct voice, glancing back at the blonde with a sinister gaze and an eerie grin. The remaining Faunus seemed reluctant to continue the fight, until a larger one appeared, allegedly the leader of this pack. With a long sword upon his back, the tall Faunus made his way over toward the two females, who grouped up once more, poised and ready to take on this new threat. The Faunus underlings spread out a little, hoping to catch Aeon and Yang by surprise, although with the way the other side saw the world, this was almost impossible to pull off.

Assuming a much more neutral stance, Yang didn't allow the enemy to surround them, instead ambushing them with her ferocious strength. The solid whacks which were heard only fuelled Aeon, as she cast her illusion, placing herself where she stood to make it like she was waiting for all of them. Then, as they came close, she took them out from behind, one by one until they had all been downed, the blood on her face only causing her frenzy to kick into gear. Yes, she remembered this feeling, a bloodlust when Antar had killed her mother so brutally. With anger swelling in her chest, Aeon looked back to Yang, who was taking on the hulking Faunus, her quick movements only overshadowed by his enormous strength.

Aeon used her impressive speed to jump and kick the Faunus in the face, Yang following up with a savage punch combo at his gut, before he swung his sword and forced the two to back away. Yang only got angry, as she slammed her fists into the male again, only to feel an intense pain in her hands as she noticed he had suddenly grown rather spiky armour. The layers and plates had been activated by the two's excessive trauma on his chest.

"Atlas technology, humans! You wouldn't know the workings of this at all!" He brought his sword down on Yang, who quickly rolled to one side while Aeon made her way behind the tall Faunus, looking for an opening to pierce with her blade. Her heterochromatic hues switched, before she saw a small gap between the ankle and foot, and went for it. Her sword dug in, though as she was about to pry the armour apart, the taller and much heavier Faunus kicked his foot out, sending Aeon flying for a few metres. Her sword remained stuck where it was, though Yang noticed this and tried to get the upper hand on him. Though blood dripped from small holes, the blonde had to make sure Aeon's attempt at bringing this man down wasn't in vain, and her hope was stirred as she heard the low whir of her weapon being flown in.

As soon as the crate was visible, Yang made sure that it was aimed at her location, her heart pounding in her chest when she finally got her gauntlets on, a surge of courage and strength bolstering her confidence. Now that the tables had turned, she threw a blast at the Faunus, who promptly blocked it with their sword, despite being pushed back a decent way. The blonde wasn't so quick to give up on her assault, throwing two more blasts before dashing toward him, intent on throwing a few punches of her own against the armour he now possessed. The Faunus tried his best to evade or block these strikes, but in this state, Yang was only getting stronger and stronger, her crimson eyes showing a fury unseen within her. Perhaps it was due to the fact that Neo had confessed her feelings to her, or perhaps just being there for her was enough, but one thing was certain: Yang protected those she loved, no matter the cost. Her hands hurt, true, though her will to fight on was like a blazing inferno.

Meanwhile, it was Neo who woke up after being thrown several metres away, hearing the shotgun blasts and shells before seeing Yang fighting the tall Faunus alone. Not wanting that to remain the case, she got herself back up; the pain in her leg numbing to the point where she walked normally, though what this would do to her in the future she truly dreaded. Moving thoughts to the back of her mind, she charged at the male's leg, knowing her blade was still stuck in there, before she finally managed to jump on it and complete what she was trying to accomplish before; the metal was torn off, as Yang blocked the incoming long sword with her gauntlets, holding him in place while the little ice cream slashed his Achilles heel.

The Faunus screamed as he suddenly dropped to one knee, unable to take the sudden loss of strength in his foot, the entire leg just collapsing in the process. Seeing this as an opportunity, Neo let out a battle cry as she went to thrust her blade into the Faunus's helm, before she was knocked away by his gauntlet, the hit only causing her to get angry and throw a wild kick aimed at his head. Though, the tall male was anticipating it, holding his long sword up and half-sword it, simply allowing Neo's momentum to slam into its edge. Cleanly, the bottom half of her broken leg was cut off, which caused her to stumble backward, stunned for several long moments. Yang saw it all unfold, eyes widening as she rushed to the little ice cream's side, hearing the inevitable scream from her companion. The blonde knew that such a blow would kill her if it wasn't treated right away, but this dangerous opponent couldn't be left unattended. Turning around, she was only just fast enough to block a downward smash from the long sword, the gauntlets under great strain, a battle Yang seemed to be losing, in terms of strength. Granted, her aura was running low, and Neo wasn't much better.

This was when Neo snapped. Her eyes shot open from the initial shock, before they changed into a mix of the three colours they often switched between in combat; the swirling pattern causing the small woman to react. A bright light went off right before the Faunus's eyes, blinding him instantly, and luckily the sudden burst of power had given Neo enough time to shield Yang's eyes, curling her arm around her head to do so. The two fell backward somewhat, before the ice cream used her renewed arm strength to get up onto the singular foot she had left. For some reason, with these eyes active, the bleeding had completely stopped from her severed knee, as she stood there as powerful as she had ever been. Though the Faunus was blind, something else was happening to the world around him, a distinct cold feeling entering his brain; reminiscent of brain freeze. It hurt like hell, the constriction enough to knock him out completely. Whatever that light was, it was enough to make it so Neo could only remain in this advanced state for a mere five seconds, and afterward she immediately dropped to the ground with grey eyes once more.

Indeed, Yang saw all of this unfold, shocked and astonished by the sheer scale of what Neo used. That light must have been like a directional shockwave, as it had flung the Faunus back quite a way, and the flames of the burning hut were completely extinguished. Gulping gently, her attentions went from the fear of such a suddenly huge power, to the state of Neo, whose leg was now bleeding again; she couldn't let her die, not here, not like this.

"Oh gosh, Neo, don't fall asleep on me!" She pleaded, scooping her small frame into her arms, eyes wide open in both pain and fear. Immediately, she got her Scroll out, calling for an ambulance, which would be there in mere minutes thanks to today's technology, though she did not know if that was fast enough. The blonde couldn't stop trembling, the amount of aura and power she herself had used took its toll finally, though she pressed on to remain awake for Neo. She needed to be there by her side, to make sure that she was okay, else she would go quite mad with worry and guilt. "Please be okay, oh god, please be okay." Tears formed in the corners of her eyes, but she didn't let them fall, trying to remain as strong as ever for the poor woman. Yang didn't know if she was going to sleep tonight, seeing someone that had beaten her so easily be beaten herself by a single tactic.

•—•

Neo's eyes opened partially, a certain numbness taking over her body, which even Aeon felt. There were internal cries as thoughts, the other side in pure agony, though it was likely due to the loss of her knee. In this limited time awake, she did manage to get a key piece of information on what was about to happen.

"The femur itself is already broken, and its swelling can lead to further complications," the doctor spoke to what Neo thought was Yang, though she could barely turn her head. "Unfortunately, we can't allow that to be the case. We have to save her life, so... We're going to have to amputate."


End file.
